Detectives
by NightcatMau
Summary: What would happen if the world of mortals and magic came together? What if Detective Monk was partnered with Skulduggery Pleasant? What if I actually get readers? Four chapters, can grow if readers love it. CONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Monk, Trudy, Sharona, Natalie, Stottlemeyer, Skulduggery, or Valkyrie. Val's about 23 here.

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Adrian Monk fretted as he waited for his new partner. What was he doing in Ireland anyhow? Was there really magic? No there couldn't be. Because if magic worked his wife would be back, wouldn't she? Because magic had to make as much sense as wishing.

And he wished every day he had Trudy back by his side. It would be better than all the nurses. Nurses. He hadn't needed one of those when she was alive. Of course people hadn't called him a washed up looser then either. Or crazy. As he waited he straightened the magazine on the waiting table, and wiped off some smudges but now his hankerchief was dirty, and what about germs? He fretted, and only looked up in helpless dismay when a masculine voice cleared itself.

Monk took in the sight before him and almost screamed in fright. It was a skeleton in a suit. But a well-tailored, extremely neat suit. Everything in order, everything neat, even his bones gleamed. That made him almost comforting, in a way. The skeleton extended a gloved hand, but Monk couldn't take it no matter how much he wanted to. "Hello," he said in a velvety voice. "I'm Skulduggery Pleasant, you're new partner for this case. I believe your Capitan Stottlemeyer gave you my dossier."

"I'm sorry. I can't- I can't shake hands. I'm sick. If- If Natalie were here, she could tell you." He expected the skeleton to laugh, but he didn't. He titled his head thoughtfully instead.

"I am very sorry your companion and fellow detective can't be with you, but I think you'll find me a most adequate substitute. We can't reveal magic to any more mortals than need be, you wouldn't even be here, but the case is beyond me."

"You got that right, bone head." A beautiful young girl walked up and nodded to Monk, but kept her hands behind her back. "I'm Valkyrie Cain, this village idiot's normal partner, but I'm going to sit this one out unless you really need me. But you'll both be a good match, though Skulduggery refuses to admit he has severe OCD. Anyhow, welcome to the Irish Sanctuary and if you need any help I'll be a ring away. Uh, that's a call for you Americans, isn't it? I'd shake hands, I really would, but I know you don't like to. To tell you the truth, I don't either." She smiled and Monk found himself smiling back.

Monk smiled shakily at Skulduggery. "Can she come with us? She could be my Sharona."

"Your what?" The skeleton asked, clearly confused.

"His first partner, well you'd be snobby and call her a nurse, was Sharona Fleming, Skulduggery. Didn't you bother to read his dossier?" Valkyrie asked, glaring at her partner.

"Yes-" Monk sensed the skeleton was lying, at least partly.

"Oh, Lord. You and your stupid hat. You were fussing with that hat instead of reading while Ghastly briefed us, I swear, Skulduggery!" She growled and Monk smiled. She reminded him exactly of Sharona, that much was comforting.

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**Ta-da! OK, don't wanna do no more if people don't want it. But I wanted 1) a story made entirely out of one page chapters, and 2) a Monk/Skulduggery crossover story. Which, I'm well aware has likely been done five billion times already.**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Monk, Sharona, Skulduggery or Valkyrie. Val is still 23, POV belongs to Monk.

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Monk looked back at Valkyrie hopefully. Clearly she was in charge here. "Would you come? It would be a lot of help, and you carry a bag, just like Sharona did."

Valkyrie grinned at him and Monk felt comforted. "Yup, figured you'd need the things in here. Disposable gloves, plastic bags, hand cleanser. Here, give me that handkerchief and take this." She whipped out hand sanitizer with her now gloved hands and took the hankerchief in a plastic bag.

Sharona had never worn gloves, but then he was stressed out and this beautiful young girl had guessed his immune system was compromised. Monk felt his heart flutter with gratitude. "God Bless you." He said accepting the sealed hand sanitizer and applying it. She then produced a fresh new hankerchief also in a bag and he was touched.

Skulduggery snorted. "You never treat me this well."

Valkyrie turned and looked at him. "Because it would only make you worse. Now since you didn't bother to read, here are the rules you need to know about Detective Monk. He is in control of everything, if he won't touch something you have to do it for him, and the first place we should be going is the crime scene. Got that?"

The skeleton nodded, clearly intimidated by his younger partner, but that was good for him, Monk thought. He needed her to boss him around like Monk needed Sharona. Clearly he wasn't capable of doing anything for himself and Monk felt sorry for him.

Monk looked at Valkyrie hopefully. "Is there really magic? I mean, real magic? You could tell me on the way to the crime scene." She smiled at him before she replied.

"You're going to partner with a living skeleton, but yes, there's more magic than that. You're OK with small flames?" She asked gently. Monk nodded. "OK then. Watch." She snapped her fingers and drew a small flame. Monk looked at it in wonder.

"That's- That's wonderful. It must be amazing to be able to do that. Think of how many things you could sanitize with flames alone." He said wistfully. Valkyrie smiled and let the flame go out then gestured so that Skulduggery would lead the way out of the Sanctuary.

Monk sensed that Skulduggery smiled at him too, thought it was hard to tell. Valkyrie bumped him and gestured to her collarbones. Monk watched his skull go back in shock, and Skulduggery turned to him. "Oh Lord, I forgot. I'm terribly sorry. I must have given you a fright. Here, so you don't have to look at this all day." He gestured to his skull then tapped his collarbones and a face flowed onto them.

It wasn't a real face, it looked like a mask a burn victim would wear and the eyes were off. They looked unfocused. Monk just smiled at Skulduggery, not wanting to hurt the man's feelings and admit it was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen.

Skulduggery led the way to an elegant car, he told Monk it was a Bentley, and Monk nodded excitedly. " A 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental only 208 ever made. The interior is spotless!" He enthused. Skulduggery just smiled and Valkyrie slipped in the back seat leaving the front to the two men.

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**So, the case begins!**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I don't own Monk, Trudy, Skulduggery or Valkyrie.

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Monk surveyed the crime scene, taking a pen out of his pocket to prod the carpet. "I've already checked the crime scene." Skulduggery said sulkily.

"Shut up, Skulduggery!" Valkyrie snapped and Monk smiled. The two went on bickering but he tuned them out reconstructing the crime through the clues. He could see what everyone else had missed. It was a blessing and a curse and today also a puzzle.

"Why is there sand in this carpet?" He asked frowning as he dug particles out with the pen. "I need this analyzed, we need to know what region it is from. And here," His voice got a little excited as he scooted over to the couch. "This could be most useful. Evidence bags please." He said and Valkyrie went to him, opening bags for him to slip sand and a bracelet he'd found into.

"Would you check inside the couch?" He asked nervously. "I would, but you know, germs-" She smiled and nodded. Monk felt his heart go soft. He watched her put on fresh gloves and examine the couch, opening the slip covers, pressing the cushions, removing them, slipping her hands into places that had to be a warren of germs and he started to reach out a hand to stop her and blinked. He'd wanted to touch her. That was odd, even if it was from wanting to protect her.

Monk sighed inwardly. He remembered being a fearless and brilliant detective before he'd lost Trudy. Then his mind had turned in on itself somehow and there was no cure. He brought his mind back to the case, feeling the skeleton watching him closely. Monk moved closer to see what Valkyrie was finding and thought he heard an annoyed grunt, but when he looked Skulduggery was standing stock-still seemingly looking at nothing.

Valkyrie showed him what she'd found, sounding disappointed. "Just some change and- Wait a minute, that penny is brand new but this house had been abandoned for two years."

"Good girl." Skulduggery murmured, moving at last to come stand beside her and tilted his head to stare at the coins. "I'm getting soft, Valkyrie, I missed so much."

"No, sir, you didn't." Monk said and the both turned to face him. "I mean, look at this place. It was clearly cleaned by a professional crew after you left. But I found evidence? Come on, clearly it was planted." He said smiling at them encouragingly.

Valkyrie gasped in wonder and even Skulduggery's facade looked a little awed. "I'm glad we called you in." He said faintly. The skeleton put a hand to his forehead and weaved slightly. "Valkyrie? I don't feel well." He said, then hit the floor and didn't move.

Valkyrie was on him in an instant, searching his clothes. "Something had to have been done to him, he just doesn't pass out, he doesn't even breathe."

"He was playing with the curtain cord." Monk said, feeling guilty for saying it but Skulduggery _had_ been playing with it. Valkyrie went to examine the cord and Monk heard her curse softly. She took tweezers out of her pocket and removed the piece of plastic Skulduggery had been batting at.

"Enchanted." She said, bagging it, and Monk wondered just what kind of case he'd gotten himself into.

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**And Skulduggery goes down for the count! Seems like our criminal not only knew about Monk, but Skulduggery's need to fiddle with things when he is bored as well. The mystery deepens.**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own Monk, Trudy, Skulduggery or Valkyrie.

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Monk stared around the Sanctuary infirmary impressed. The doctors had examined the enchanted plastic (he still had problems believing it had been enchanted) and had treated Skulduggery. The skeleton lay on a bed unmoving but Valkyrie said he'd be fine. "He'd fall apart if he died. I've seen it happen." She said softly. "The bit of plastic at the end of the cord had a sigil drawn on it. I don't know how he missed it, but when he touched it he activated it."

"Then it could have made any one of us ill?" Monk asked. She nodded and his mind whirred into overdrive. So much of this seemed like a setup to make Skulduggery look bad. The planted evidence, the sigil (whatever that was) that he'd missed. He was being made to look like a fool and Monk felt sorry for him. But he felt more sorry for Valkyrie.

She was young and beautiful and magical. She didn't deserve this. To have two neurotic detectives to care for. She deserved a handsome partner who was brave and bold, everything he wasn't. Wait. Why was he even thinking like this? It had to be stress. Valkyrie was too young for him, surely. Even if her wonderful smiles and tender care were melting his heart. She'd make such a wonderful partner.

The skeleton stirred and looked at Valkyrie. For a moment a look of infinite tenderness passed between the partners and Monk expected them to hold one another in relief. Then a look of utter rage came over Valkyrie's face and she slapped Skulduggery so hard that his skull rocked to the side. "Ow! What was that for?" He whined, rubbing his teeth and cheek as if the blow had hurt.

"For not paying attention, Skulduggery! You played with a sigil, really? How stupid are you?" She was roaring at the top of her lungs and Monk felt bad for Skulduggery but everyone around them ignored the display of anger like it was normal.

"I heard a voice. It told me if I touched the sigil I'd-" Skulduggery cut off and looked away, clearly ashamed. Valkyrie seemed torn between love for her partner and anger. Mostly anger but Monk understood that type of anger. She hadn't been able to protect Skulduggery any more than he had protected Trudy. She stormed off and he knew she was going to cry. Not because she was a woman, but because he remembered tears following his own rage too.

The skeleton sighed and Monk turned to him, watching him sit up. "I've failed her. I used to be her hero, you know? A long time ago. Her world revolved around me. Lately I'm lucky if she even has free time for a craic on the phone. She doesn't need me anymore, Detective Monk and I'm not sure how to handle it." Monk couldn't belive what he was doing, but he stood up and patted Skulduggery's shoulder, trying not to think of the germs and wishing he had hand sanitizer.

"I'm sure you're still her hero, she was scared she was going to loose you. The whole way here she was blaming herself. She cares about you a lot, she- Valkyrie has the idea you'll think she is weak if she shows it. She needs you." He said and he could have sworn the skeleton smiled at him even without the facade. "What did the voice say you would get? It could be important."

"That the woman I love the most would be back in my arms." Skulduggery said and Monk knew exactly how he felt. Exactly.

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**Whoa! So many dramas! Is Monk falling in love with Val? Does Skulduggery want his wife back?**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own Monk, Skulduggery, Valkyrie, or Ghastly. I know no one else cares about this story, but I do, so there.

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Valkyrie must have had better self-control then Monk thought because she re-entered the room in time to hear Skuldugery's confession. He face softened and she went to sit by him, bundling the skeleton into her. Skulduggery seemed to struggle with his dignity, then buried his skull in her shoulder and she murmured to him soothingly.

Monk knew then that Valkyrie was the woman Skulduggery was speaking about, even if the young detective had no idea. He went out in the hall to give them privacy and stopped in shock. A man with a muscular build and a scarred face was heading towards him. The man looked into the room, grunted then gestured for Monk to follow him. "Let's give those two time alone. They're being nice to each other for once."

The man sounded amused, and not in a mean sort of way. He turned out to be Ghastly Bespoke and Monk wondered how heartless his parents could have been to have given him a name like that. "Tea?" The big man offered, holding up a cup that had clearly been sanitized and wrapped. There was a bottle of clearly sanitized water and the pot itself was so clean it had clearly been sanitized as well. And the whole office was immaculate! Monk nodded gratefully.

"Yes, please. You're office is so clean." He said, happily sitting down as the place gleamed with a fresh scrubbing. The big man slipped gloves on himself before working and Ghastly smiled as he soon set tea down for both of them. "Neatness counts. Don't worry, Detective, you're in good company here. All our detectives are gifted yet burdened, especially Skulduggery."

Monk nodded. "I read his file. Forgive me for asking, but who would know him so well to know he plays with things?" He asked, eager for any leads on the case. It was a puzzle and puzzle were disorder and if he got things in order here maybe life would make sense again.

The big man rocked back in his chair thoughtfully. "Any of the Dead Men, I think they were in his file, right?" Monk nodded encouragingly. "Any partners or anyone who has worked a crime scene with him. Or, well-" He shifted uncomfortably.

"Or any of the women I was involved with?" They both turned to see a fully- dressed Skulduggery in the doorway, Valkyrie supporting him. She flashed them an apologetic smile clearly she'd been bullied into helping Skulduggery get there and Monk wanted to applaud the man for rallying so quickly. "You see? The sins of the elder partner-" Skulduggery said, smiling at Valkyrie and she grinned and boxed him in the arm, but gently.

She helped him into the other chair and Ghastly frowned at Skulduggery in a way that made Monk nervous. "_You_ aren't going anywhere except back to bed, Skulduggery." The big man rumbled. "You're in no position to walk, let alone drive or investigate."

Something clicked in Monk's brain and he had to ask. "I'm sorry, but I think the sigil was meant for Skulduggery. I examined those blinds myself and found no dust, it's one of the ways I knew a professional crew had been there. And Valkyrie examined them as well. Do we have any leads on the bracelet?" He asked eagerly.

The big man sighed. "Yes, it belongs to China Sorrows, someone I forbid either of you men to see. Valkyrie, go see what you can find out. She's the one who does this type of magic and well-"

The skeleton shrugged and looked at Monk and Valkyrie guiltily. "I was seeing China and a few others before I got married. And if you read the file you know she killed my family in revenge, no matter what excuses she used. She'd kill me as well if she ever realized I'd never love her and wanted another woman as my wife. And now I do." He smiled faintly and Monk knew exactly who he wanted to marry.

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**Whoa. Who does Skulduggery want to marry, are we sure it is Val? Will Val be safe alone with the homicidal China? I'm torn right now. I'm getting somewhere with Monk, trust me. But I'm wondering if it is the right thing to do as I don't want to take away from what a gifted detective he is. **


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Monk, Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Ghastly or Erskine. The inspiration for this chapter came from the Everly Brothers.

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Valkyrie seemed to have missed the tenderness in Skulduggery's voice and his look of longing. Monk wondered if it was really missing the obvious or the younger detective didn't care. She got last-minute instructions from Ghastly, then took off in a hurry before Skulduggery could try and go with her.

Ghastly looked at the men and sighed. "I know you all too well, Skulduggery, and you, Detective Monk. You both want to watch over her. Come on then, let's all go get fired." Ghastly led them to a control room of sorts where an attractive man he addressed as Erskine was already barking out orders to track Detective Cain. They spoke and Erskine turned to them smiling.

"See? Grand Mages are good for something, and you two are fired." He said, glaring at Ghastly and Skulduggery briefly. He turned to Monk. "Ah, Detective Monk. We are doing further testing on the sigil, and the sand, coins and bracelet deepen they mystery. But it isn't China, is it? That's just too obvious."

Monk nodded slowly. "I don't know your criminals here, but most don't leave blatant clues at a crime scene. It's possible the bracelet dropped. But sand and change?"

Erskine smiled thoughtfully then nodded, turning back to the screen where they all watched as Valkyrie drove to China's home. "I hope she knows what she's doing." He sighed.

And from what the men told him of China Sorrows, Monk doubted an elegant woman would have soiled her shoes with sand or dropped what even he could tell was a cheap bracelet. Monk turned his attention away from his thoughts, even though some small detail was nagging at him, something he had missed, and looked back to the screen in time to see Valkyrie park in front of a modest home. He noticed everything and all at once in a tidal wave of information that almost hurt.

The home was isolated. The front door was hanging off it's hinges, and Valkyrie looked afraid. But she got out of her car and crouched down, digging her mobile out. "Come on, call in for backup." Monk urged, his fists clenching. But she looked at it and threw it in the car, shutting her door with a soft _click a_s her face hardened into a mask of reslove. "No, don't be a hero." Monk begged, wishing she could hear him. She drew out a gun from a side holster and Skulduggery spoke up, even over Erskine roaring for a van of Cleavers, whatever they were, to be sent to her location and all detectives to be massed there.

"She has a gun?" Skulduggery sounded outraged. "I absolutely forbid her to carry a gun, ever. I also forbid her to go in that house." He dug out his phone but Valkyrie was already creeping away from her car, then sprinting into the house. Then everything went terribly wrong. The screen didn't change, and Erskine was roaring orders for the people to get him an inside view when it happened.

There was a tremendous flash of light and a roar, and the windows blew out of the home, the glass spraying out along with roaring flames even as the roof exploded upwards and the sides disintegrated. The momentum of the blast over, flaming debris started raining down, adding to the chaos on the screen. Everyone was screaming orders now and there were shouts of dismay. Monk looked at the screen and his heart broke. Not again. He couldn't stand to see another person he cared about die in an explosion. Not again. But as he watched the flames dance and the smoke curl into the sky he knew the detectives and Cleavers would be too late.

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**"Bye Bye Love" is such a cheerful song. Unless you're Valkyrie. Then it's more like a requiem. But, hey! No one was commenting or anything, so people had to die. That's how it works. End story, hope you liked it!**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Erskine, Ghastly or Monk. A billion thanks to **gabriela** for the review!

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As Monk continued to watch the screen helplessly, vans arrived. But he barely registered them as a figure rose out of the flaming ruins, pulling off a black hood of some sort. Valkyrie Cain coughed, stumbled forward, and had to be caught by the Cleavers who had rushed towards her. She shook her head, pushing them off and weaved her way to her car.

One followed, hovering as she got her mobile out. She was a bloody mess, but she dialed a number and Erskine gestured for the sound to be cut on the screen. His mobile rang and he answered it. From the sweetness in his voice Monk knew Valkyrie was in deep trouble. "Why, Valkyrie. How good of you to call." Erskine's voice dripped honey. "Been doing anything exciting lately, like not waiting for backup? Were you trying to get yourself killed? No, don't you dare answer that! You get into a van and you let the Cleavers tend to you now." He roared.

Valkyrie's eyes bugged out and she nodded, seeming to have figured out they were watching. They watched her be meekly led to a van. She didn't even make it the whole way before she passed out and a Cleaver had to catch her. It seemed to take and eternity to Monk, but soon the van had returned to the Sanctuary and Valkyrie was being treated. Her bed was wheeled in next to Skulduggery's and she grinned weakly at him.

"Hey, and before you ask, not my blood. China was set up. She managed to tell me, she tried to get me to leave, it was a trap, but I had to try, I had to get her out of there. Sorry, Skulduggery. But if you'd seen her like that, broken and bound up-" She broke off and Monk watched her helplessly.

"At least you managed to get your hood on. You gave me a fright, by the way." Skulduggery said. "But then, as I've often said, you're too beautiful to die." He grinned at her and she smiled back. They held a tender gaze for a moment and Monk looked away. _Come on, Skulduggery. _He thought. _Tell her, you fool, kiss her. _

But when he looked up, Valkyrie had drifted off to sleep holding hands with Skulduggery. Their link touched Monk. He left the couple alone, and went out into the hall. So China had been set up. He'd known that much. But by who and why? And did it matter, really? Someone had wanted Valkyrie dead and needed caught, to be sure, or had they? Maybe Skulduggery was the target of everything. The sigil, the bomb.

Yes, now that he thought of it, a weakened Skulduggery would have died outright where Valkyrie had been stunned and was only under observation after the doctors had healed her. But who hated the man that much? Ghastly walked up to him. "Well, none of us are fired, of course. And Erskine knew Valkyrie would have went in, but then, he knew something I didn't about her." He looked amused.

"What's that?" Monk asked blankly.

"She's in love with Skulduggery. He loves her too, of course, but they're both too frightened to say anything. It is just like her to be the brave one, to run into a trap to keep him out of it." Monk nodded, hoping the pair would confess their love before anything else happened.

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**Wheee! She was never meant to die forever, at least not ****_this_**** time. But this case seems to be dangerous and not even I know what could happen next. Hope you liked it! PS This chapter the song was "Americano" by Lady Gaga. **


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Monk, Skulduggery, Valkyrie or anyone else you might recognize. Thanks to a mysterious **Guest** for the chapter request.

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Monk walked back into the room, and saw Skulduggery keeping vigil over the sleeping Valkyrie. Suddenly the detective felt angry at the bad guy, whoever he was. What could Skulduggery have possibly done that was worth doing this to him? Was he a bad cop, had he been a criminal before becoming a detective? There were just too many things Monk didn't know about Skulduggery or his world, but he reminded himself that a lot of cases were like that.

Skulduggery turned to him, tilting his head. "Penny for your thoughts, Detective?" He asked.

Monk was about to speak, but then he stood up abruptly. He could feel that sensation again. The bracelet, the sand, the coins. He didn't know where the sand and bracelet were from but now he remembered his surprise at the change. "It was so obvious. How stupid could I be?" He asked in wonder. Monk looked at Skulduggery. "All right, what was unusual about those coins?" He asked and the detective shrugged.

"I wasn't paying attention, to tell the truth. I was already hearing the voice, why?"

"Well, I'm never going to get cases again if this gets out, but the coins? They were American."

Valkyrie, who had just barely broke the surface of her sleep sat up to look at him. "Coins." She growled. "Sand. I don't know where that stupid American git got a bracelet-" she paused and looked at Monk. "No offense meant, Detective." She apologized.

"None taken." He said generously. "You have a theory?"

She nodded, and looked at him, seeming to make up her mind about something. "Detective, I'm sure it's fairly obvious since we're detectives too, but there are magical bad guys. And I can only think of one American that might have dirt or sand on him and could have dropped the coins. Thought the bracelet doesn't fit." She sagged back in her pillows in defeat.

"No, it does, don't you see?" Monk asked excitedly. "The sigil, you could get a person to set those up, right?" He asked. And Valkyrie nodded. Monk nodded too, though he was no longer seeing her or the room they were in, he was seeing the crime scene in such vivid detail he felt he was there.

"I can see how it happened." He said excitedly. The change fell out of the man's pocket while he sat and waited for an accomplice to plant the sigil. The sand was from his sunglasses, he'd dropped them in Texas and never fully cleaned them so he knocked out the grains there- Oh, good Lord, he has no eyes." He stopped in horror, convinced his mind had finally snapped. Valkyrie was suddenly in front of him and he stared at her helplessly. "What's wrong with me?" He asked.

"Detective, I don't know how to say this, but I didn't describe the man and you've only been on Irish soil for hours and you certainly haven't heard anything about him. You have a gift, you have magic."

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**Curiouser and curiouser. As always, let me know if you want more.**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I don't own Monk, Valkyrie, Billy-Ray, Erskine, Ghastly or Skulduggery. Thanks goes out to **Georgia** for the review.

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Monk felt excitement and relief flood through him. He had magic, real magic! Valkyrie filled him in on who Billy-Ray Sanguine was and Monk felt his excitement grow. Quickly he left to tell Erskine and Ghastly about the break on the case and Ghastly congratulated him.

"Well done, Detective. It makes things different now, you having magic. You could stay, after your case." He said gently. And Monk really wanted to. He wanted to use his magic to help people. But he could do that anywhere, and for now there was a case to solve.

"We haven't figured out the bracelet though." He said with a frown. And this time when he tried he saw the crime scene and what he wanted to see. Billy-Ray had drug the bracelet out of his pocket and kissed it before planting it. "He wanted Skulduggery to fail." Monk said, now only dimly aware of Ghastly or the room around him. "He wanted Skulduggery to fail and he wanted Valkyrie to put on the bracelet. He's in love with her and it will make her love him." Monk said, snapping his attention back to the room and feeling his stomach curl in disgust over the idea.

Ghastly nodded. "I thought as much. He is recently single for reasons I can't disclose at the present time. And he's just crazy enough to fall in love with a woman he hates that much. We're putting guards on their room." He said, rising and leading the way back. Ghastly frowned at Valkyrie who was sneaking her clothes out of the wardrobe while Skulduggery looked on helplessly.

"Val, you're under observation. You'd be an easy target." Skulduggery pleaded. She shook her head and drew the curtain around her bed to dress. She'd just emerged and Ghastly was moving froward to stop her from leaving when it happened.

There was a rumble, then a roar and the ground cracked open right in front of Valkyrie. She backpedaled, but the man who rose from the ground lunged forward and caught her in a flying tackle. His momentum kept them both going and they were gone through the wall behind her. Skulduggery had risen to run to her aid, but sank back down helplessly.

"He'll kill her." He said dully. "He always promised he'd kill her."

"She's safe, Skulduggery." Ghastly said with a sigh. "As long as she plays her cards right. Billy-Ray is in love with her."

"Even better." Skulduggery said bleakly. "A man of flesh and blood who could give her children. I should have said something and now it's too late." He propped himself up on his elbows to look at Monk.

"Well, you've solved the case, congratulations. And I feel perfectly free to tell you she won't be back. He can give her everything I never could."

Monk looked at him helplessly. He tried his magic but had no idea where Billy-Ray and Valkyrie were. But he knew her, even after a few short hours he knew Valkyrie Cain. She loved Skulduggery, not Billy-Ray and he wasn't leaving until he saw them together again.

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**Cliffy, wheee!**


End file.
